Artist Interview: Jai Musiq

Jai Musiq Talks Influences, “Patience” & Tennessee

Hailing from Tennessee, Jai Musiq is a Morehouse man with a powerful voice that you should get familiar with. Fresh off the release of his latest record, Patience, I had the chance to catch up with Jai and ask a few questions. Check out the interview

KTIII: Who are some artists who influence your sound?Jai Musiq: Definitely Kid Cudi and Drake. Cudi is so open in his music, and I strive to become as vulnerable as he is so that my listeners can really feel where I’m coming from. I also like how he fills up the background of his songs with humming and harmonies that capture the attention of everyone who listens. Drake’s a hit maker with undeniable melodies, which is something that I’ve been working on in creating my new music. I’d have to say I’ve also been influenced by the story-telling ability of J. Cole. He takes his listeners on a journey on nearly every track.

KTIII: How would you describe the R&B sound in Memphis, Tennessee?Jai Musiq: R&B is something that’s not so prevalent in Memphis, to be honest. At least it’s not at the forefront of the music scene there. Being that a lot of elements of R&B come from the blues music that originated in places like Memphis, I’d like to bring it back to the light.

KTIII: Where has been your favorite place to perform so far and why?Jai Musiq: So far, I’ve only performed two places: a hookah bar in Memphis by the name of Oasis and at Morehouse. Out of those, I’d have to say performing at Oasis was more fun just because of the energy that was there. My friends from home were there and my brother Chris Cross DJ’d behind me. The vibes were amazing that night.

KTIII: What was the overall theme behind Patience and how did it come together?

Jai Musiq: Patience basically talks about learning how to love someone. With me not having the experience of a relationship, there are a lot of things that I would have to learn when getting into one. My words in the song tell a story about how I’m not completely sure how to go about being committed to someone, but I have found someone that I am willing to learn with. Hopefully, she’s willing to be patient with me while I am trying to give her the love she deserves.
The song came together pretty quickly. I heard the beat on Berkli Music’s YouTube page and fell in love with it almost immediately. I got in contact with him, got the lease for it, and recorded the song a couple of days later.

KTIII: Without having been in a relationship before, how do you find the inspiration to create love songs with such powerful messages?Jai Musiq: Most of my experiences with love come from the same places that anyone would have them. I take influence from my parents’ relationship, as well as those of my friends. Although I haven’t been in a committed relationship before, I have still experienced love myself as well. They haven’t been the best experiences, but I have learned and grown through them. Now, I’m able to share that part of my life with the world (or whoever is willing to listen) through my music.

KTIII: Do you have any advice for aspiring singers and songwriters?Jai Musiq: As an aspiring artist myself, I don’t honestly feel like I’m in the position to be giving advice to anyone, but one thing I will say is that no one will believe in you until you do.